Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Christmas in November (168.4)

I'm swamped at work and at home.  The busy time of year has begun.

We put up the Christmas decorations this past Saturday--everything but the tree.  The weekends are crazy full from now until the end of the year, and it was either start Christmas in November or only put up the tree and no other decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving. 

We spent 5 hours getting everything out & decorated & then cleaned up.  I brought in the stuff from the garage, Sophie & Luke unloaded all the bins, I decorated the fireplace mantel, and Sophie decorated everything else.  We decorated the family room/kitchen and the dining room. 

We listened to Christmas music and watched Christmas movies.  It was relaxing and fun.  There was no pressure, no hurry, no stress.  Usually if I do everything in one weekend or sometimes even in one day, it's no fun for anyone because it's just too overwhelming.  And some years, I just do the tree because I'm not up for the work involved to do it all.

I've never decorated for Christmas this way before, since I generally dislike decorations going up before Thanksgiving.  But it actually put me in a better spirit about the holidays.  I don't feel so curmudgeonly about the decorations in the stores or the commercials on TV. 

And putting up the tree will be fun and relaxing and a family event.  The way it's supposed to be.

***
I had a good weekend, food and exercise wise.  I ran 3 miles on Friday after work and 5 miles on Saturday morning.  My food wasn't perfect, but it was acceptable and I didn't gain weight over the weekend.

I was a bundle of stress yesterday, and after work I got on the treadmill for 40 minutes.  I mostly walked, because I don't want to overdo the running miles and stress out my knees.  It was just what I needed to calm my nerves and keep me from raiding the cookies. 

Today will be 3 miles of running at the gym.  I'm in Week 4 of my half marathon training and haven't missed a training day yet.

3 comments:

Jill A said...

Good job Laura! I know of quite a few people who have put up their Christmas decs because just like you it was "now or never". I don't think there's anything wrong with decorating right now - it's when Christmas decorations go up before Halloween that gets me!!

Vickie said...

glad things are going well.

we have middle child who loves to decorate, we were just commenting that it will be slim picken's around here when she moves out . . . like we will be turning out the lights on Halloween even.

Someone was just telling me (this is a woman with 5 kids) that they go out for Thanksgiving dinner (country club) every year. And then the day after, they decorate for Christmas. She said it started accidently one year and she has done it ever since. I was a little startled, but when I thought about it, I could see it.

Helen said...

Christmas seems to come faster and faster after Thanksgiving every year so I don't think it's horrible to decorate (at least a little) before Thanksgiving. I need most of my December weekend time to shop! ;-)

And good for you for exercising the stress (and lbs) away!